Green faculty
The Faculty of Education systematically focuses on sustainable development and the environment in its daily activities.
Photovoltaic power station
The power station was commissioned in 2006 and at the time of its construction was the largest in the Czech Republic. In 2022, it produced 30,555 KWh of electricity, which corresponds to 5% of the total electricity consumption in the faculty's buildings. A feasibility study for a new photovoltaic power plant is currently underway for possible future implementation at Poříčí 31A (CVIDOS).
Rainwater retention
The Kejbaly Faculty Garden captures rainwater for subsequent watering of plants. The faculty also has an underground rainwater retention tank located at the passage of Ypsilanti street and 4 other rainwater retention ponds near the Poříčí 31A building. All these sumps are used to store rainwater to prevent overloading of the sewer system during heavy rains. A study is being prepared that will focus on the retention and subsequent use of water on the college campuses. The study will also include a solution to the possibility of using rainwater for watering the lawns on these campuses.
Drinking water consumption
The faculty has smart water meters and actively monitors any fluctuations in water consumption beyond normal consumption. For example, thanks to a given smart water meter installed in the botanical garden in Kejbale, excessive water "consumption"/leakage on days off was detected, based on this finding, a fault was identified in the water distribution pipes.
Heating of the buildings
The heating of the buildings Poříčí 7, Ypsilantiho, Poříčí 31 and Poříčí 31A is provided by Teplárny a. s. through a hot water pipeline. In the Poříčí 9 building, 3 new condensing boilers were installed in 2021, which are used not only for heating but also for hot water.
The heating regime of the buildings is adapted to the actual operation of the faculty buildings so that the buildings are not heated when the faculty is empty. The heating is also dependent on monitoring the outside temperature, which brings additional savings.
Electricity consumption, cooling system and building ventilation
The faculty is trying to reduce the energy consumption of lighting by replacing the luminaires with LED technology in all renovated spaces. Due to the financial cost of running the HVAC system due to the increase in energy prices, the faculty recommended turning off all equipment centrally or in cabinets in the winter of 2022/2023 and suggested the use of natural ventilation through windows. The faculty will commission the HVAC and cooling on an ongoing basis beginning in June 2023, taking into account outside temperatures and room-by-room operations.
Waste sorting
Waste bins and containers for mixed waste, glass, paper, plastics and bio-waste, boxes for used batteries and toners are located in the faculty premises. These types of waste and others (e.g. discarded electrical appliances, damaged discarded furniture, etc.) are removed from the premises for ecological disposal by a professional company.
Installation of drinking filtered water dispenser
The faculty installed a LOKNI filtration stations where students and staff can fill their own bottles with filtered water (sparkling and still). The faculty already has two filtration stations one in the 1st floor near the Conference and Relaxation Room (RUV) and the other in the CVIDOS building in front of the library. The dispenser leads to reduction in the number of PET bottles and the burden created by the supply and transportation of beverages.
Strategic objective: expansion of greenery on PdF campuses
The faculty has been consistently developing outdoor green areas to complement the plants in the faculty corridors.
In the future, the faculty is considering installing chargers for electric cars or electric bicycles.
Environmental education
The faculty is dedicated to the development of environmental education, which is primarily used by the Kejbala Botanical Garden. It is visited not only by students of the Faculty, but also by pupils of primary and secondary schools from Brno and its surroundings.